Receptacle-closure-marking machine.



H. J. DOUGLASS.

REGBPTAGLE CLOSURE MARKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 11, 1911.

Patented May 21, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

1 /00 Jflazy/ass.

H. J. DOUGLASS.

RECEPTACLE CLOSURE MARKING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION TILED MAY 11, 1911.

1,026,790. Patented May 21, 1912.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY J. DOUGLASS, OF IBELLINGHAM, WASIFlZINGTON;

RECEPTACLE-CLOSURE-MARKING MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY J. DOUGLASS, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city of Bellingham, in the county of Whatcom and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Receptacle-Closurelllarking Machines, of whlch the following is a specification My invention relates to mechanisms of the above type, having more particular reference to machines for marking can tops, and has for one of its objects to provide a construction which'can be employed in conjunction with a topping machine for marking the closures as fedthereto.

A further object is to provide mechanism for moving the closures by successlve movements, whereby. the closures are advanced to and removed from the marking means.

Other objects will be set forth as my description progresses and those featuresof construction, arrangements and combinatlon of parts on which I desire'protection succinctly defined in my annexed claims.

Referring to the accompanylng drawings wherein like numerals of reference lndlcate like parts throughout the several views: Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan of a can topping machine equipped with my invention, parts being broken away. Flg. 2 1s a longitudinal section through my attachment taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 4, and the ad acent portion of the can top machine, the closure feeding means being in its advanced position. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through the upper portion of the attachment with the closure feedlng means in retracted position. Fig. 1s a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view of my invention, and Fig. 5 is a-plan of the closure feeding device.

My invention comprises a feeding device, as 1, supported for movement to feed closures in a successive manner to a marking device, as '2, from which they are removed to permit of the proper positioning of the nextor succeeding closure.

In the present embodiment, my invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with can topping machines, being primarily designed for producing marks or characters on the tops indicative of the contents of the cans, and in thus adapting the device, it is my aim to provide a construc- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 11, 1911.

Patented May 21, 1912.

Serial No. 626,584.

'tion wherein the marking means will opering means can be readily altered or changed as required.

Feeding device 1, as shown, comprises a slide member supported for reeiprocatory movementin a slide way 3 into which latter, a can top hopper 4 opens for delivery of the can tops onto the forward end portion of slide member 1 in front of a forwarding shoulder 1' thereof.

Slide way 3 which is supported, as by brackets 6, 6, on the base plate 7 of the can topping mechanism, extends to the edge of the can top carrier wheel 5. \Vheel 5which is of a well known construction is operated intermittently to bring the semi-circular can top seats 5', provided in its edge portion, successively into registration with slide way 3. by the intermittent drive and lock mechanism 8, the driving member of which is c0nnected, as by bevel gearing 9, with a shaft 10, conveniently. connected by a train of gears with a drive shaft 11. Marking device 2 conveniently comprises a pair of dies 2, 2", the latter or male die being slidably supported at the underside of slide way 3, in an extension 6 of brackets 6, for movement toward and from the female die 2, which latter is removably held in relatively fixed relation by a set screw 12, in a boss 13 at the upper side of slide way 3.

Reference numeral 14 indicates a crank shaft, connected by a driving rod 15, with die 2" for imparting reciprocatory movement thereto, said shaft being journaled in bracket 6' and connected, as by a sprocket chain 16, taking over suitable sprocket wheels, as shown, with a drive shaft 17, connected with shaft 10 by miter gearing 18.

Reference numeral 19 indicates a separator for the closures 20, the same comprising a slide mounted in slide way 3 for movement over the upper face of slide 1 across the path of discharge of closures 20 from hopper 4. Slides 1 and 19 are advanced successively, as hereinafter more fully set forth, from shaft 17, the latter being provided with cranks 21 and 22, set. at an angle to one another and connected by driving connections 21', 22 with levers 21", 22, fulerumed on bracket 6, each with a respective slide, as will be readily understood. Forwarding shoulder 1 is provided to the ermost of closure or can tops 20, which falls into the same by gravity, the entire pile lowering at such time. Following such seating of a closure on slide 1, slide 19 is advanced and its beveled forward end portion projected between the discharged closure and the remainder of the pile, thereby lifting the latter and leaving the discharged closure free to be carried forward between marking dies 2, 2". As slide 1 reaches the forward limit of its stroke, die 2 is moved upwardly through slot 1 to elevate the advanced closure 20 against die 2' thereby holding and marking the same. Slide 1 now being freed of the closure, is retracted for reception of another closure from hopper 4, prior to reaching which slide 19 will have been withdrawn. During retractive movement of s'lide'l, die 2 is lowered, the marked closure 20 moving with it until it encounters the bottom wall of slide way 3, by which it is held in the path of forwarding shoulder 1, while the die continues its downward movement and thereby frees itself. Upon the next forward stroke of slide 1, the closure 20 just marked is engaged by shoulder l and forwarded into theadjacent seat 5 of wheel 5 simultaneously with the positioning of the succeeding closure between dies 2, 2". As now considered, die 2 is remov-' ably seated in a carrier 25, and can therefore, with its companion die 2, be removed and substitute dies provided, when it is desired to vary the marking of the tops being fed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States of America,

1. In a device of the character described, a closure marking means comprising a pair of members one of which is movable toward and from the other, means for advancing a closure between said marking members and past the same, and means for operating said movable marking member toward the other when a' closure is received therebetween.

2. In a device of the character described, a closure marking means comprising a pair of members one of which ismovablef toward and from the other, reciprocatory means for advancing a closure to said marking members on one stroke and removing the closure from said members on a corresponding succeedingstroke, and means for operating said movable marking member to mark the advanced closure.

3. In a device of the character described, a closure marking means comprising a pair of members one of which is movable toward and from the other, reciprocatory means for advancing a closure to-said marking members and past the same by intermittent movements, and means for operating said mov-, ablemarking member to mark the closure in its intermission of movement by said reciprocatory means. v

4. In a device of the character described,

a closure marking means, a closure hopperarranged in advance thereof, means for feeding the closures from said hopper to said marking means, and closure separating means supported for movement between the closure to be advanced by said feeding means and the remaining closures in said hopper.

5. In a device of the character described, reciprocatory means for advancing a closure by successive steps, said reciprocatory means being provided with cover forwarding parts arranged one in advance of the other for alternative engagement with the cover, and means for marking a cover advanced through engagement with one of said forwarding parts and positioning the same in the path of the other forwarding part of said reciprocatory means. i

6. In a device of the character described, reciprocatory means for advancing a closure by successive steps, said reciprocatory means being provided with cover forwarding parts arranged one in advance of the other for alternative engagement with the cover, a closuremarking means comprising a pair of members one of which is movable into the path of said reciprocatory means,

and means for reciprocating said movable marking member.

[7. In a device of the character described, a

closure marking means, a reciprocatory means for feeding closures to said marking means, a closure hopper opening into the path of said feeding means, a closure separator supported for movement across the path of the closure in their movement to said feeding means, means for operating said separator when said feeding means is retracted,

and means for operating said marking means to mark a closure advanced by said feedlng means.

8. In a device of the character described,

a closure marking means, means for feeding closures to said marking means, a closure hopper opening into the path of said feeding means, a separator slidably supported. for movement between the innermost closure and the remaining closures of said *hopper, and means for reciprocating said separator.

9. In a device of the type set forth, a closure marking means comprising cooperating parts one of which is relatively movable,- a reciprocatory means for feeding closures to said marking means, said feeding means being provided with forwarding parts arranged one in advance of the other,

a closure hopper arranged to discharge into the path of said feeding means; means for reciprocating said feeding means to advance a closure received from said hopper in engagement with its rear forwarding part to said marking means, and, means whereby said movable marking part is operated to mark a closure advanced by said feeding means and the marked closure positioned in the path of the forward forwarding part of said feeding means for removal thereby from said marking means.

10. In a device of the character described,

a reciprocatory means for advancing a closure by successive steps, said reciprocatory means being provided with closure forwarding parts arranged in stepped relation for alternative engagement with the closure, a closure marklng means comprlsing a pair of members one of which is movable toward 25 ment with the closure, a closure marking means comprising a pair of members one of which is movable into and-out of said slideway, and means for reciprocating said movable marking member.

Signed at Bellingham, Wash. this 24th day of April 1911.

HARRY J. DOUGLASS. Witnesses:

A. W. DEMING, H. B. DRISKO. 

